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Drug-Induced Nail Abnormalities

  • Practical Dermatology
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Abstract

This article reviews the different nail symptoms produced by drugs. Drug-induced nail abnormalities may result from toxicity to the matrix, the nail bed or the periungual tissues. The most common symptoms include Beau’s lines/onychomadesis, melanonychia, onycholysis, and periungual pyogenic granulomas. Nail changes usually affect several nails and in most cases are asymptomatic. Drugs that most frequently produce nail abnormalities include retinoids, indinavir, and cancer chemotherapeutic agents. In this article, we also include nail adverse effects as a result of radiotherapy since they are commonly observed in clinical practice.

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Acknowledgments

No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this manuscript. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti, Bologna, 40138, Italy

    Bianca Maria Piraccini, Matilde Iorizzo & Antonella Tosti

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  1. Bianca Maria Piraccini
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  2. Matilde Iorizzo
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  3. Antonella Tosti
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Piraccini, B.M., Iorizzo, M. & Tosti, A. Drug-Induced Nail Abnormalities. Am J Clin Dermatol 4, 31–37 (2003). https://doi.org/10.2165/00128071-200304010-00004

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